Exploring Antarctic History

The names of the places visited on the Antarctic Peninsula are replete with the echoes of the earliest days of polar exploration.

Many cruise ships sail through the Gerlache Strait, named for the Gerlache expedition that sailed in 1897, kickstarting the Heroic Era of Antarctic exploration. When the ship was caught in the ice its crew became the first people to spend the winter in Antarctica, but there’s no such fear for modern visitors, who can delight in the numbers of humpback whales who congregate here instead.

One of the most places highest on many Antarctic wishlists bears a different pedigree. Port Lockroy dates from 1944 when a British base was founded here as part of the wartime polar intrigues of Operation Tabarin. It is still run today as living museum, drawing visitors to its ‘penguin post office’.Other historic research bases include those on Damoy and Stonington Islands.

North of the Peninsula, many cruise ships call in, Deception Island, formed from the crater of a long-collapsed volcano. The weather-beaten remains of Antarctica’s only land whaling station are an eerie reminder of a bloody history, while its calm bay was the launching point for the continent’s first flight by the Australian aviator George Hubert Wilkins in 1928. Its waters today are a popular location for tourists making their polar plunge.

No figure towers over Antarctic exploration like that of Sir Ernest Shackleton, and no destination has more places associated with him that it's possible to visit like the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia.

It was from here that Shackleton set out on his fated Endurance expedition in 1914, and here that he returned to after the miraculous voyage of the James Caird to get help for his stranded shipmates on Elephant Island.

Today, if South Georgia's wild weather allows, it's possible to follow the Shackleton Walk that retraces the final part of his desperate march across the island to raise the alarm, communing with history by following his footsteps and those of his companions Frank Worsley and Tom Cream by hiking to the old whaling station at Stromness Harbour.

Alternatively, visitors may discover the spirit of ‘the Boss’ by raising a toast of whisky by Shackleton's grave in the old whaling station of Grytviken, where he died in 1922. Follow up with a tour of the South Georgia Museum, which houses much Shackleton memorabilia including a replica of the James Caird itself. Thrillingly, some South Georgia cruises may also include the chance of sailing past Elephant Island. This is the ultimate voyage for any enthusiast, but difficult sea conditions make landings here incredibly rare – remember that it took even Shackleton four attempts to rescue his men here! 

The Weddell Sea, with its great fields of tabular icebergs east of the Antarctic Peninsula, firmly landed back on many travellers’ radar in 2022 when the wreck of Shackleton’s ship Endurance was discovered 3000m beneath its surface. It was the Weddell’s pack ice that literally crushed Shackleton’s hopes of crossing the continent, and while the location of the wreck can only be reached by icebreaker, sailing here in his wake remains a powerful evocation of the Heroic Era. The wreck itself is a protected monument and cannot be disturbed in any way. 

Canny polar historians know the Weddell as the place of another equally incredible story of survival – that of the Nordenskjold Expedition. The prefabricated hut from 1902 on Snow Hill island where the expedition over-wintered remains a surprisingly cosy place to visit. It stands in stark comparison to its companion on nearby Paulet Island. This simple construction of stone was built in desperation by the crew of the expedition’s relief ship when it too was caught in the ice and sank. 14 men spent the winter here living off penguins and diminishing hope before they could launch a small boat to bring relief.

Only a small number of expedition cruise ships attempt to visit this remote part of the Western Peninsula every year, but coming here offers powerful testimony about the will to survive in such extreme conditions.

The Ross Sea is where Shackleton, Scott and Amundsen all based themselves in the early years of the 20th century when the starter gun was fired on the race to the South Pole. Many of their huts can still be visited today – holy grails for many Antarctic travellers.

Visiting Scott’s Hut at Cape Evans on Ross Island is perhaps the most emotionally resonant experience any history enthusiast can have in Antarctica. This is the hut built for the Terra Nova expedition in 1911 during which he and his companions perished during their return from the pole. So sensitive has been the conservation and presentation of the hut that one imagines they might still step in at any moment.

Also on Ross Island are Scott’s Discovery Hut at Hut Point and Shackleton’s Hut at Cape Adare built for the Nimrod expedition during which he attained his gruelling furthest south. It's also sometimes possible to call at Borchgrevink's Hut at Cape Adare, where the first expedition overwintered on the continent in 1899: another place of pilgrimage for the dedicated historian but also famously one of the windiest places on the continent.

Just a few ships sail to this region every year. The ice and weather in this region remains as challenging today as it did for the original explorers however, so visits to individual locations cannot be guaranteed. 

Visited as part of expedition cruise itineraries taking in South Georgia as well as the Antarctic Peninsula, the Falkland Islands hold much of interest for history buffs.

The tiny capital of Stanley is a popular port of call for cruise ships. It's a town packed with historic monuments and buildings – as well as its shores being dotted with shipwrecks. Its most unmissable old building is Christchurch Cathedral, the most southerly cathedral in the world with its massive arch of blue whale jawbones.

Beyond the cathedral is the excellent Historic Dockyard Museum, which tells the story of the islands in a highly engaging manner, including rooms dedicated to the 1982 War as well as the Falklands' close connections to Antarctic exploration. During a day spent in Stanley it is sometimes possible to arrange a separate tour of battlefield sites from the 1982 War.

Antarctica is home to over 90 Historic Site and Monuments (HSMs) as registered under the terms of the Antarctic Treaty, ranging from simple cairns and graves to the impressive huts from the heroic era of exploration.

While the harsh polar environment has inevitably made its own mark on these sites, many are cared for by national heritage bodies such as the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust (such as Port Lockroy) or the New Zealand Heritage Trust (such as the Terra Nova and Nimrod huts).

Each historic site has a carefully designed management plan to protect, with strict rules in place to govern visits by tourists, including caps on numbers during a landing. During any visit, it is essential to adhere to the rules as laid out by the ship’s expedition leader. Only by doing this can we help keep these precious sites safe for future generations.

Sites in South Georgia are subject to their own management plan laid out by the Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands.

Please note that visits to specific historic can never be guaranteed. Plans can change as fast as the polar weather: decisions on which locations to visit are always made on the day by the ship's captain and expedition leader.